Walk on the WILD side

Despite what our significant others may think we do on our annual Wild Women's Weekend, it's really, truly and honestly not that wild. We don't do anything outrageous by today's reality TV or "Girls Gone Wild" standards. But we did do something a little spontaneous this weekend. And for us, that's "wild."

This year, our sisters weekend was in Norwalk -- a little village in the heart of Amish hill country in southwestern Wisconsin. Beautiful area with a ton of hills (even one classified a mountain!), valleys and many twisty-turny roads.

On Friday night, we dined at a little cafe on Main Street. While we were waiting for our food, one of my sisters noticed a flier for a village park fund-raising event -- a 5K fun run and walk to take place the next morning. Since we all have been trying to walk and exercise a little more in the past few months, it wasn't surprising that more than one sister responded: "We should do this!" From there, the wild idea was born.

Despite staying up late playing games, talking and laughing, an "alarm" was sounded at 6:45 a.m. to get up and get ready to walk! I was tired, my head was stuffed and it felt like I was coming down with something. I wanted to roll over and go back to sleep. My sister Rayna said, "C'mon, Robyn. This will give you something to blog about!" Was that really my motivation? Doubt it. But I did roll out of bed and join the "team."

We all dressed in our matching Wild Women's Weekend sweatshirts and headed into town. I still hadn't decided if I was going to run it or walk it. I hadn't been running or walking in two weeks. When I saw the small crowd for this first-time event, I decided what the heck, I'll run it. Was I nuts? Probably.

The race was run partially on the Elroy-Sparta Bicycle Trail, then veered off to and through a farm. To get to the farm, we had to run up what the folks in Norwalk call a knoll, but what I call a stinkin' big hill! Just like the Little Engine That Could, I trekked up the knoll and was slowed to a walk before I crested it, but I made it!

I finished strong because I had this motivation to beat this one girl who was a bit cocky and condescending to my sisters before the race. "Are you ready to lose?" she said before the race. "I probably have 2,000 miles on you." On behalf of my sisters, I was determined to finish ahead of her and I did. Petty, yes, but when I was as out of shape as I was, I grabbed ahold of anything to keep me going! My time was much slower than my summer 5K but I was more excited to see my sisters all make it to the finish line later.

Despite aches, pains and coughs at sunrise, they all crossed in less than an hour's time! Hurray for all of us! Good thing they gave us T-shirts or some people would never believe us. We were practically celebrities. Even the local newspaper took a picture of us. So somewhere in the pages of the County Line Newspaper we will be famous!

What will we do next year? Will we all run one? Or will our adventure include trying new foods with "scary" veggies like onions or mushrooms? You never know when the Hedberg girls decide to take a walk on the wild side!